Lebanese Government donates assorted items to support Cyclone Freddy survivors in Malawi

Malawi-The Lebanese government has donated a variety of goods through Santa Plaza shops to aid Cyclone Freddy survivors in Malawi, writes Brenard Mwanza.

The aid targets the people of Chilobwe Township in Blantyre. The Managing Director of Santa Plaza, Ahmad Ali, stated that they thought of donating to support cyclone survivors as a way of fulfilling their social responsibility.

"As Santa Plaza, we are a business entity, so we thought of donating to Cyclone Freddy survivors as a way of supporting our customers," Ali said.

The Minister of Homeland Security Kenneth Zikhale Ng'oma who received the donation on behalf of the government, thanked Santa Plaza management for the gesture, saying it will go a long way in supporting the affected people.

"We have tightened security to deal with the stealing of the donated items because the malpractice has the potential to frustrate the support to the affected people", he said.

The donated food packs that include flour, beans, sugar, soap, and salt are valued at MK1.5 million.

"We have targeted Chilobwe considering that it is one of the areas that was most affected by the cyclone, leaving many people dead and others suffering in different ways", Ahmad Ali added.

The Minister of Homeland Security, Ng'oma reiterated that his ministry is working hard to ensure that the donated items benefit only the affected people.

"The Malawi Government, through my ministry, will ensure that the donated items reach the targeted beneficiaries," he added.

This humanitarian gesture by Santa Plaza and the Lebanon Government will go a long way in alleviating the plight of Cyclone Freddy survivors in Malawi.